When Keehnan Konyha and his boyfriend, Jacob Gaboury, moved into their 850-square-foot loft in East Williamsburg three years ago, it was “just a big empty Sheetrock box,” Keehnan says. The building was formerly used as a mikvah, a ritual bathhouse for Orthodox Jews, but their landlord was open to a creative overhaul. So the couple set out to obliterate any trace of blandness. The entrance area is decorated with white ceramic lamps, which Keehnan found on Craigslist and topped with parchment shades trimmed in black ribbon. The console table is from Cafiero Select, where Keehnan works. Photo: Patrick Dyer
I loved the decorative hubcaps on the bookcases, which are used for sweater storage. “The hubcap thing is an old Tony Duquette trick,” Keehnan says, “though I think he typically hung them high enough that you couldn’t tell they were convex mirrors.” He found them on eBay. The industrial shelves are from Kmart. Photo: Patrick Dyer
Keehnan wanted the apartment to “really come alive at night. I had this romantic idea of what a New York apartment should look like”dim, mirrored, great for parties. I am never here during the day, and the space gets terrible natural light (and has an equally terrible view), so it sort of dictated a nighttime existence on its own.” Keehnan covered the chest of drawers with a chevron fabric, while both sofas are covered with moving blankets found online. “I think they were, like, $70 for a bale.” Photo: Patrick Dyer
The artwork to the right of dining table is (from top) by Cody Critcheloe, Ben Schumacher, and Richard Haines. The large canvas to their left is a copy Keehnan made of an original by Richard Giglio. The Parsons chairs were slipcovered in black canvas. Photo: Patrick Dyer
The chrome-and-glass table is from Cafiero Select. The pineapple lamp is from Craigslist. The bookends are from Ghana and were found at a thrift store. Photo: Patrick Dyer
The sweater-filled bookcases create an entrance to the bedroom area. The shoe rack (partially visible on the lower left beside the console table) was originally an old mail sorter from the post office. It, too, was found on the street. Photo: Patrick Dyer
The desk and milk-glass lamp are from Cafiero Select, as is the Thonet chair and bed. Keehnan made the quilt from discontinued fabric samples from the D&D. The art above the desk is by Kari Altmann (top) and Lazaro Rodriquez. Photo: Patrick Dyer
